Families and children from the Windsor-Essex region enjoyed a variety of learning activities at the Early Years Carousel (PROVIDED BY S. SHAHBAZI/University of Windsor)
By Kate Hargreaves
More than 300 local children and their family members enjoyed a day of play and learning as part of the seventh annual Early Years Carousel last weekend.
Organized by teacher candidates in the Early Years service-learning course in the Faculty of Education, the event was a morning of exploration, play and connection for young children and their families from across Windsor and Essex County.
From a sensory room and LEGO-building room, to local wildlife exploration, music shakers, painting, beading and reading, teacher candidates designed and facilitated open-ended play-based activities to support creativity, exploration and meaningful engagement.
“The Early Years Carousel provides teacher candidates with an opportunity to bridge theory and practice in meaningful ways,” says instructor and organizer Sara Shahbazi.
“Throughout the planning and implementation of the event, candidates develop skills they will continue to use throughout their careers in education.”
Shahbazi explains that teacher candidates spend two terms in preparation for the event as part of their coursework.
“They learn how to collaborate with community partners, organize fundraising initiatives, build relationships with families and plan and lead a large-scale community event,” she says.
“These experiences help them understand the importance of community engagement and partnership in supporting children and families.”
This community engagement included partnerships with EarlyON and Natural Pathways as well as the UWindsor Lancer Baseball Team and Windsor Public Library’s mobile library in addition to having Windsor Police Service and Windsor Fire and Rescue Service vehicles on site for kids to explore.
The response from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, says Shahbazi, with families appreciating the organization, unique experiences and access to community partners and supports, in addition to whole foods, snacks, prizes and grab bags with take-home activities all available at no cost to families.
“The Early Years Carousel reflects the power of collaboration among teacher candidates, community partners, and families. It demonstrates how play can bring people together while supporting children’s development and family engagement," she says.
“For our teacher candidates, it is an opportunity to experience firsthand how educators can help build strong connections between schools, families, and communities, something that will remain central to their work as future educators.”
To learn more about service learning, visit the Faculty of Education website.